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S'dam shame about the cars – Saddam Hussein's hidden treasures

Tim Colquhoun, , May 16, 2003

As the dust settles in Iraq, more details are emerging about the scale of the car collection built up by Saddam Hussein and his sons.

And what a collection it was. The past tense is appropriate because it has emerged that at least three-quarters of the 60 valuable US and European luxury cars have been destroyed by US tanks, fires and Iraqi looters.

Rolls-Royces shared garage space with classic US machines. There was an armoured 1970s Cadillac and an Al Capone-style prohibition-era black Packard convertible (Saddam was believed to be a strong admirer of the US gangster).

US forces confirmed that at least 45 vehicles were looted or damaged beyond repair. Some were used to block palace gates and compound roads in Baghdad. US troops in Abrams tanks were ordered to roll over them.

Saddam's indulgences were evidently well known in Baghdad. Looters "went straight for the garage", Sergeant Quincy Oree, 26, told the Detroit Free Press. "They knew exactly where they were."

He said looters carried away about 20 vehicles. Troops guarding the palace helped destroy others, fearing they may be used for roadblocks or suicide bombings.

The collection was built up over decades –perhaps more than once. Saddam destroyed all of son Uday's cars in 1993 after a feud.

Many of the cars uncovered in the presidential garages had less than 1600km on the odometer. It's likely that these were genuine readings -- while dusty on the outside, most cars were reported to be immaculate inside.

All had keys in the ignition but the presidential convoy wouldn't have travelled far. Ironically, given the country's oil reserves, the fuel tanks were reported to be all almost dry.